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Controversial Westboro Baptist Church founder Fred Phelps dead

Fred W. Phelps Sr. announced his plans to run for the Democratic nomination for governor of Kansas. Phelps' seven points of reform were listed on a board beside him.

In this March 19, 2006 file photo, the Rev. Fred Phelps Sr. preaches at his Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. Phelps, the founder of the Kansas church known for anti-gay protests and pickets at military funerals, died Thursday, March 20, 2014. He was 84.

In this March 19, 2006 file photo, the Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., center, sits in prayer at his Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan. Phelps, the founder of the Kansas church known for anti-gay protests and pickets at military funerals, died Thursday, March 20, 2014. He was 84.

In this July 1, 2007 file phtoo, the Rev. Fred Phelps Sr. prepares to protest outside the Kansas Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. Phelps, the founder of the Kansas church known for anti-gay protests and pickets at military funerals, died Thursday, March 20, 2014. He was 84.

Pastor Fred Waldron Phelps Sr., founder of the Westboro Baptist Church, died late Wednesday, a daughter of Phelps confirmed Thursday.

Reached by phone in Topeka, Shirley Phelps-Roper confirmed her father had died at Midland Care Hospice.

Phelps-Roper politely said it was "none of your business" to a reporter's questions of whether members of Phelps' family had been present when he died and whether a funeral service would be conducted for her father.

Phelps had been in hospice care with an unknown illness. Church spokesman Steve Drain said Feb. 14 to a Topeka Capital-Journal reporter that Phelps was “healthy" but wouldn't put Phelps on the phone as a church spokeswoman had done in the past.

"He has a couple things going on," Drain said Sunday but he declined to elaborate on what his illness was.

"The source that says he's near death is not well informed," Drain said Sunday, which was three days before Phelps died. On Wednesday, phone lines at the church normally staffed to handle news media queries had messages to email questions to the church. When called, the phones of several other church members immediately rolled into message mode.

Another member of the family hung up when The Topeka Capital-Journal reporter identified himself.

According to son Nate Phelps, who was ousted from the group 37 years ago, Fred Phelps Sr. was excommunicated in August 2013 from the church he founded for advocating more kindness toward its members.

The WBC is best known for anti-gay protests and picketing soldiers’ funerals.

On Sunday, Drain refused to discuss whether Phelps had been excommunicated from the church he founded.

"We don't discuss our internal church dealings with anybody," Drain said. "It's only because of his notoriety that you are asking."

Drain said the church doesn't have a specific leader other than Jesus Christ. The church has an eight-member board of elders, all male, who make church decisions.